Our client is a market leading brand operating in the fast moving consumer goods area.  This operation has significant growth plans for 2010 and beyond.  They are seeking an experienced Key Account Manager to help grow their business with large buying groups as well as independent retailers.

Key responsibilities:

The jobholders responsibility is to manage and develop major national accounts within the client company, building and influencing relationships and business strategy with Key Account personnel for commercial advantage over competitors and to maximise sales and profit opportunities for mutual prosperity and growth.

Key Accountabilities:

• Prepare and implement account specific strategies in conjunction with area sales managers to ensure sales and profit targets are achieved.
• Build and execute thorough business plans to profitably manage each of our key account customer base.  Deliver brand and business objectives through these key customers. 
• Deliver excellent in-store execution through innovative store activity and management of fulltime and part time merchandising team. 
• Negotiate and control customer-based commercial issues, e.g. trading terms, credit arrangements, range reviews, promotional activity etc.
• Build and maintain relationships with buying, logistics, finance and other key influencers within our key account customer base. 
• Liaise with and influence other key functions within the client operation, to ensure maximum co-operation and efficiency in developing the joint businesses, i.e. account payments, queries and IT developments.
• Monitor and control budgetary expenditure for all account related budgets, to ensure control and enhanced profitability.
• Formulate, cost and implement major customer account promotional strategy and tactics which maximise the business opportunities for the client in terms of profit, volume, distribution expansion, promotions, product ranging, merchandising, customer training whilst taking into account competitor activities in this strongly contested market sector.
• Provide category insight and help identify, develop and implement category management initiatives.
• Work with key account personnel in developing new ideas to grow sales of the brands.

Special Features:

1. The jobholder must have a second level or equivalent qualification with a minimum of 3-5 years experience of successfully managing multiple key accounts within DIY, FMCG, or associated industry.  They must have a clear record of achievement in delivering profitable growth and share gain.  
2. The jobholder will have responsibility for some key accounts in Ireland.  As a result the job holder needs considerable knowledge and experience to cope with excessive demands of the key account, sensitivity in dealing with market pricing pressures; this will require a high level of negotiating skills of trading terms and ongoing commercial activity.  A key part of the role is communication between the job holder and the key account personnel, excellent communication, presentation and IT skills are important. They must possess the ability to work on their own initiative and also as a team player as part of the senior sales team. 
3. The jobholder must be seen as professional and knowledgeable of the business, both of the key account and the range of client products.  They must have an in-depth understanding of the market, competitors, category and be able to see the market from the client and the customers' point of view and achieve the business objectives, without putting the customer under apparent pressure. 
4. It is essential that the jobholder has the creativity and leadership to develop a strong brand and market presence for the client's brand with the key accounts.   
5. The jobholder must possess the required maturity, experience and interpersonal skills to influence senior business and functional managers within the key account. 
6. They must possess well developed account management skills, financial understanding, business planning and forecasting skills, leadership qualities, people skills, negotiating skills as well as tenacity and resilience.

The Key Account Manager also has a strong functional relationship with the General Manager - Ireland and Sales Director.

This job is located in Dublin and the Salary starts at 60-75K Basic bonus car package.

If interested please e-mail your CV into Colm Buckley at: colmbuckley@peoplegroup.ie

The People Group is a Recruitment consultancy, specialising in Sales, Marketing & Management, established in 1989 and is based in Dublin 2. Our experienced team works in both the contingency and search areas, and covers all industry sectors including: FMCG, B2B, B2C, ICT, IT, and Telco with a focus on Mid to Senior Level roles.

Added By: Colm Buckley (01) 6619636